Rocky View Schools (RVS) has received approval from the Government of Alberta to relocate nine portables to help ease overcrowding issues in schools throughout the division. The government will also reduce the cost-sharing requirement for the division for modular units.

RVS requested the relocation of 13 portables throughout the division, including relocating five portables from George McDougall High School in Airdrie to Cochrane’s Mitford School, but only received approval to relocate two units to Prince of Peace Luthern School in the Chestermere area, four units to Herons Crossing in Airdrie, two portables to Meadowbrook School in Airdrie and one to École Edwards Elementary School also in Airdrie.

“The board will be discussing options of how we’re going to accommodate students where we didn’t get approval,” said Darrell Couture, associate superintendent of business and operations, adding the relocated and new portable approvals will be discussed at the March 20 RVS board of trustees meeting.

The 2014 to 2015 cost-sharing requirement from RVS will decrease from 50 per cent of set-up costs for new and relocated portable in 2013 to 2014, to a flat rate of $50,000 per unit for delivery and set-up costs. Alberta Education will cover remaining delivery and set-up costs, and will pay the full cost for purchasing the units.

The division will still be responsible for 100 per cent of costs for any links required to connect the units to other units or the main school building.

Though the new cost-share is being described as a cost reduction for RVS, Couture said it is still quite a financial commitment for the division.

“$50,000 for each unit is about 50 per cent (of the cost) on a new portable and 90 to 100 per cent on a relocated portable,” he said.

The move comes after the announcement on Feb. 8, that RVS had been granted eight new portables for the 2014 to 2015 school year. The majority of the new portables will go to the Cochrane area with two of the eight portables going to Elizabeth Barrett Elementary School and four to Mitford School in Cochrane. The remaining two will be sent to Rainbow Creek Elementary School, located in Chestermere.

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